


A Team Squad Holiday (ft. Mommy Issues)

by CherryBxmb



Category: Final Space (Cartoon)
Genre: Adopted Sibling Relationship, Avocato gets food poisoning, Dadspeed, Emotional Baggage, Established Relationship, F/M, Found Family, Gen, Mother-Son Relationship, Quinn is Jewish, Team as Family, This took weeks to write, adhd is bad, takes place after s2 ?, they have regular foodstuffs BECAUSE THEY CAN
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-07
Updated: 2020-01-07
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:06:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21954112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CherryBxmb/pseuds/CherryBxmb
Summary: Gary just wants to have a normal holiday with the team squad. Although he still has some unresolved issues with his blood family.
Relationships: Avocato & Gary Goodspeed, Avocato & Little Cato (Final Space), Gary Goodspeed & Sheryl Goodspeed, Quinn Airgone/Gary Goodspeed, Sheryl goodspeed/John goodspeed (mentioned briefly)
Kudos: 23





	A Team Squad Holiday (ft. Mommy Issues)

**Author's Note:**

> Started writing it, had a breakdown bon apple teeth.

Everyone had turned in for the night except for one incredibly excitable blonde that laid awake on his cot trying to contain his giggling. At the sound at the alarm he had set he leaped out of bed with a start dashing towards the main bridge of the ship still tugging on his shirt as he began to set things up. 

He needed lights oh! and cookies! You could never go wrong with cookies on Christmas. After spending a good hour and a half wrangling the lights he’d found he scampered off to the Catos room, now sitting on the edge of Lil Cato and Avocato’s beds.

“Pssst” Gary called trying to wake the Ventrexians to no avail.  
“Avocato!” Gary called again now directly in Avocato’s ear. 

Avocato slowly rolled over so he was facing Gary, his tail visibly flicking about indicating he was in a bad mood and didn’t appreciate the early wake up call.  
“It’s fuck o’ clock what do want?!”  
“Hissed Avocato in a hushed tone as not to wake Little Cato on the other bed curled up beside him. Gary Goodspeed of course replied  
“It’s Christmas!”  
as if that answered everything. Avocato who is an alien and had never celebrated Christmas, let alone had any idea what it was he had no idea why Gary was grinning ear to ear like that. 

“Just meet me on the ship’s deck in thirty minutes.” 

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////  
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

It was an understatement to say Gary was excited, he was enthusiastic! Ecstatic! Other ‘E’ related words that mean happy! He was setting out sugar cookies setting up lights and stockings making a makeshift tree out of garbage that sort of thing.  
“How’s my best friend Gary doing?!” came KVN calling as he flew through the air. 

“KVN!!! DO NOT RUIN THIS FOR ME!” Gary pushed the robot away ending up tangling himself in a string of lights.  
“Y’know what. It’s Christmas. I’m not gonna let you get to me!”  
As Gary crashed into the ground Quinn and HUE walked into the ship’s deck. 

“Gary what is this?” questioned Quinn looking over the mess the self proclaimed “Captain” of the ship. Gary sprung to his feet still tangled in lights.  
“I’m so glad you asked Quinn! HUE bring up the calendar!” There was a brief pause  
“Please HUE.” As the moment Gary said that a hologram map was projecting out of HUE’s Android body. 

“As you can see Quinn in the many many many months we’ve been in space today. Is approximately, December the twenty-fifth ! AKA Christmas!”  
“Thats great Gary and I guess that’s why you decorated...?” She used decorated in a incredibly loose sense, self made tinsel was hanging from the dock and there was an artificial tree made of old ship parts not to mention Gary remained tangled in lights.  
“Again, glad you noticed.” 

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Soon enough Avocato and Little Cato were awake walking into the ship deck.  
“What in the fresh titty whompus is this?” exclaimed Avocato. Little Cato ran over to Gary who was more lights than man now.  
“Thunder bandit!” “Spider cat!” Little Cato was biting through the lights freeing his second dad. “I have been freed!!!” Gary yelled in a dramatic manner dumping himself over Little Cato. 

“So what is exactly is this about?” Avocato rubbed his temples and pinched the bridge of his nose. Gary made a scandalous dramatic gasp  
“Avocato... you don’t know what Christmas is?” Gary made his way to the floor to holding Avocato’s face together in an excited manner, stars in his eyes like he just won the lottery. 

“Aw man quality dad time! Quinn have you ever celebrated Christmas?” The young Ventrexian looked up to his big sister figure. “Actually no, I’m Jewish.” Cato gave a blissful oblivious look in response. “I’ll explain what that is later...”  
“Hey where’s Ash and the others?” Cato had noticed the lack of purple hair in the room. “Ash likes to get her sleep I’m sure she’ll join us in a bit.” Quinn yawned at the mention of sleep. 

“Back to the important subject! Avocato! Little Cato you guys don’t know what Christmas is?!” Avocato whose face was still being held by Gary just looked around at his fellow team/family members “uhm.. no not really? I know it’s a holiday I only heard of it when the I mean... ‘Jack’ gained control of Earth and...” Avocato clearly was uncomfortable discussing his past still after everything that happened. His teammates didn’t blame him. 

“It’s okay you don’t have to talk about it.” Quinn reassured. “Yeah man we get it!” Gary let go of him now patting him on the shoulder. Avocato was grateful.  
“Anyways Christmas! It’s like... magic! It comes once a time of a year! And there’s cookies and it’s a time for family and friends and gift giving and... being around people you love.” He kind of scrambled off at the last point there but he got the point across.  
He reached out for Quinn’s hand and she took it in her’s. 

“Is that why you love cookies so much Gary?! I like cookies!” KVN interfered giving Gary a tight robot clawed hug separating him from Quinn.  
“AUGH! YOU RUINED THE MOMENT AGAIN” He pushed the insane robot away bouncing into Little Cato’s arms. “Snicker-doodles!” KVN said droning out.  
“So Christmas is a time to be with your family? We’re family right?” Cato asked reaching out for Gary and Avocato.  
“After all we’ve been through it’d be stupid /not/ to call us family. We’re a teamsquad now! Everyone is included.” Cato, Gary and Quinn and even Avocato came together for a hug.  
“chokitty?” Mooncake asked flying out of the makeshift tree. “There you are you lil face hugger! Come in here!” “KVN IS ALSO HERE!” “KEVIN I SWEAR ON SANTAS BALLS IF YOU TOUCH ME I’LL KILL YOU.” 

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

“Woah why is the deck all... sparkly?” Ash questioned messing with some lights.  
“I’ll say.” Followed by Sheryl. 

“Hey Ash! We’re telling Christmas stories! We even have candy canes!” Cato said curled up next to both his dads.  
“Merry Crisis!” KVN flew out to greet the both of them.  
Mooncake and HUE were running after each other on the deck and Avocato, Gary and Little Cato remained in one spot telling stories as Quinn hovered nearby playing with a makeshift dreidel. Gary almost leapt up from his spot when he saw his mom walk into the room. Quinn placed a hand on his arm as to reassure him. 

“Hello Ash and Ms. Godspeed... Ash did you have any holidays growing up on your planet?” Little Cato asked seeing as the others had been sharing their traditions.  
Ash looked at Cato “let me think.... I don’t think so? There was only sacrifice... and death. Lots of death.” Ash looked Little Cato dead in the eyes before moving on.  
“Okay so what’s this all about then? I like the sparklies!”  


“Ash where’s Fox?” Little Cato asked curious about the whereabouts of his new Tryvolian friend. “He’s still resting. I just came up to the deck to see what everyone else is up to.”  
“We’re just telling holiday stories and stuff dad was gonna go next.”  


Gary opened up his throat to speak but he couldn’t his eyes wouldn’t leave his mother as she paced around the room.  
“What’s the deal with the lights?” Asked Sheryl arms crossed  
“What do you mean ‘what’s the deal?’ It’s Christmas mom.” Gary narrowed his eyes at his mother. Despite their apparent makeup there was tension between them and rightfully so.  


“We never celebrated Christmas.” Sheryl said examining the makeshift tree and lights  


“Well crap mom! I wonder who’s fault that is?” Gary steamed his mood more or less ruined and he went over to the kitchen unit of the Crimson Light.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

“Ava can you make me some cookies?” Gary’s head hung on the counter clearly in a bad mood as he spoke to the ships AI.  


“No I will not.” Gary sighed in response “You can’t or won’t?”  


A pause... “I won’t” “Fantastic.” Gary felt a hand on his shoulder and instantly recognized it as Quinn. “You doing alright? You kinda just stormed outta there pretty fast I wanted to check in.”  


“I’m not feeling great Quinn.” Gary answered downing a glass of milk before spitting it out.  
“Milk is objectivity the /worst/ beverage. It’s not good without any cookies. Who the crap looked at a cow tit and thought ‘i’d like to drink out of that!’ BECAUSE IT WAS A HORRIBLE IDEA!”  
Quinn just kinda laughs and sits down next to Gary.  
“I get it. The parent thing not the milk thing.”  
Gary looks at Quinn softly “yeah?” “Yeah.” 

“I mean my mom didn’t abandon me to be a wanted woman in space but I think I get it. My mom walked out on me and my sister at a pretty young age and our dad was really never there.”  
Quinn leaned her head on Gary’s shoulder.

“You don’t have to forgive her just because she’s your mom. If you want to be angry, hold onto that. She made her choices and she has to live with them.”  
Gary looks up at Quinn an uneasy smile on his face.  
“Thanks Quinn.”  
“No problem, now let’s get something to eat.”  


/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////  


“Hey Quinn and I made pancakes!” Called Gary bringing in plates of something fried on a plate that was vaguely pancake like.  
“Latkes.” Quinn corrected eating her potato cake.  
“Yes that. Anyone else wanna get their hands on these?”  
The awkward silence that had settled over the team once Gary had stormed off dissipated  
Avocato mutters something under his breath as he gets up and Little Cato follows after.  
“Lemme get my paws on those!” Little Cato grabbed a small potato cake eating it up. Ash soon followed after.  
Gary took a second plate and took a second plate over to Sheryl. Near the back of the deck. It took him awhile for them both to say something, they just ate in silence. The silence wasn’t necessarily bad but it wasn’t favored either.  


“I don’t have to forgive you.” He finally spoke up poking at his plate. Sheryl didn’t say anything in response.  
“I don’t owe you anything just because you’re my mom. I don’t owe you forgiveness. If anything you owe /me/ forgiveness. Although we’re not gonna get into that whole steez right now!”  


Gary was defensive but he was holding his breath he didn’t expect his mother to understand he didn’t expect Sheryl, this women he didn’t know anything about to understand.  
“I have realized now how apprehensive I have been about well everything. You are not a mistake, you are a product of your father and I’s love. it took me a while to realize that. But I don’t expect you to understand my perspective of things.” 

Gary unclenched his fists and sat down on the floor.  
“Your perspective? You left me when I was a baby what kind of mom does that? When you came back it was for dad’s funeral and you made a mess and left. Which seems to be the only thing you’re good at, leaving.” 

The silence returned filling the space between Gary and Sheryl. 

“Gary. I’m sorry.” 

He was taken aback from what had just occurred. 

“What.” 

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have left you or your father. But at the moment I... I didn’t know what I thought. I was angry and sad I just wanted to shift the blame of my actions onto something... someone. And I guess that someone was you.” 

Sheryl had sat next to her son although maintaining a distance between them she thought about what Tribore had said to her and her brow furrowed.  
Gary just sighs in a mix of frustration and confusion as he pinches the bridge of his nose. 

“I’m still angry at you. I don’t have to forgive you but part of me just really wants to. I just wanted to have a Christmas like a normal fucking holiday just for once... if I just acted like I was happy maybe I would actually be y’know happy. I never got any of that I don’t know why I’m telling you all this. I just want to get back to Quinn and everyone else.” 

He drones slumping down on his seat a feeling of frustration mixing in his belly. He held his head in his hands and after blinking he shook his head.  
Sheryl placed an arm on the back of her son’s back bringing him in close. 

“You don’t have to forgive me, I really don’t deserve it.” She mutters under her breath. “I’ve been a very... terrible mother and wife.

“Yeah you have but you know what? Look around. Everyone here has messed up one time or another.” Gary gestured to his team by the front of the deck laughing and having a good time. 

“Avocato has a rough past but he learned to put it behind him and and choose to learn from it and focus on his son.” 

“Little Cato went through so much but it wasn’t his fault it was just the hand he was dealt. He still learned to roll with the punches.” 

“Ash and Fox...” he gestures to the sibling duo, Fox now out of bed and smiling at his sister.  
“They both had a rough life but they found each other. Even HUE and Mooncake have had rough lives. What I’m trying to say is it’s not to late to change to try I mean.” Gary stands up and offers his mother a hand. 

“It’s not to late to change Mom.”  
Sheryl takes her son’s hand as he lifts her up from her seat. 

“I think you’re right. Let’s go see what everyone else is up to.” And they walk hand in hand to see the rest of the teamsquad, his family old and new. 

“Dad!” “Yeah Spidercat?” “Dad ate some green thing Quinn told him not to and now he has food poisoning.” 

“AVOCATO I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU ATE THE MISTLETOE!” Called Quinn still wondering where the hell Gary had gotten it in the first place.  
Gary and Sheryl just let out uproarious laughter in response although Gary concerned about his best friend’s wellbeing. 

“So a girlfriend and a son you sure got busy when I wasn’t around.” 

“MOM! NO!” Gary protested as he covered his face in embarrassment. “It’s not like that Little Cato isn’t... well he’s mine but he’s not mine mine.” 

“Never thought I’d have grandkids. He’s a cute kid.”  
“He is isn’t he?” 

And the rest of the night the teamsquad spent their time huddled around each other telling stories and teaching each other about their respective cultures and traditions. 

////////////////////////////////////////////////


End file.
